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I dug TPE, but it lacked the variety I came to love about certain Manson albums. The last album brought in some cool new elements and some awesome songs, but I found myself still reaching for older albums depending on the mood. With HUD, this is much more the kind of Marilyn Manson album that pulls me in. I love all the different style play between tracks, it highlights many more aspects of Manson's voice and the musical influences that have shown up over the years. Once again, Tyler really showcases not only his song writing strengths - but that he writes with an open ear and attention to detail. He writes in a way that feels very connected to the essence of Manson while still bringing that cinematic grandeur in production and sonic ear candy. The thing that I love is how there are moments that really could pull from any previous era, and contrast that against something that goes in a totally different direction.

I found the leak early and downloaded it. I stared at the files forever before I decided to listen to them. I've never listened to a leak before, I felt so dirty so I only listened to it with headphones, but I have vintage tower speakers so my elderly neighbors heard the leak as well the next day. The leak was 108 mb the download from amazon was 138mb so I'm listening to that one now. I bought the digital download and the CD.

The only song I don't love is Blood and Honey, it sounds too much like a rap ballad to me. It may grow on me, idk. The rest of the album is sexy and hard. It's so good I had a sex dream about Manson the next night and I don't have those kind of dreams. I'm not even that kind of fan. Anyway, it's amazing. I'll be wearing this CD out as much as I did ACSS and I've went through 4 of those since 1997. This album isn't just sexy and hard though. It feels like home. It really feels like Manson.

So for a long time, really starting with The High End Of Low, each new Marilyn Manson album has been less its own record and more a potpourri of everything that had come before. And, on the whole, I think this has been to the detriment of the latter-day discography - there's a strong Sisters Of Mercy-styled post-punk album somewhere in Born Villain, but it gets lost in the throwbacks to Portrait ["Overneath The Path Of Misery", "Slo-Mo-Tion"] and Antichrist Superstar ["Murders Are Getting Prettier Every Day"]. Even a track that's gone on to become one of my favorites, the title track "Born Villain", is less representative of its own record and more a kind of spiritual sequel to "In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death".

This was less true of The Pale Emperor, which had a solid Southern swamp rock style at its core, but even there some of the previous albums trickled through - Antichrist Superstar on "Deep Six" and "Slave Only Dreams To Be King", Holy Wood on "Warship My Wreck".

The same 'problem' exists on Heaven Upside Down, to an even greater degree - but, for the first time since Manson's taken up this habit of retrospectively touring his past material, it actually works to the record's benefit. I think what helps the album on is that, rather than each track referencing an individual album, most tracks draw on elements common to the entire early half of his discography. "Tattooed In Reverse", for example, calls to mind the more hip-hop influenced moments of The Golden Age Of Grotesque [while in fact doing hip-hop in a much more organic, natural sounding way than something like "The Better Of Two Evils"], but it also has a synth hook straight out of Mechanical Animals and a guitar lick that calls to mind the best of Antichrist Superstar.

The same is true, for example, of "Kill4Me". Far from being derivative of a single record in the back catalogue, it hybridizes the best portions of a wide swathe of Manson's career - the song simultaneously calls to mind "The Dope Show" in its groovy bassline, "The WOW" in its nocturnal vibe and "Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge" in its loose guitar lick. That these elements, by all rights, shouldn't mesh well nevertheless does not prevent the song from being something more than the sum of its parts.

There's also an epic on the album, and it's the first epic that Manson's released that I feel actually goes somewhere: "Saturnalia" shares a similar running time with "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies" and "Warship My Wreck", but far from being a slow, dirgish track, as I was becoming accustomed to thinking about Manson's 'epics', it actually goes places and does things. There are more time changes in this one song, I think, than in the entire High End Of Low record.

Eat Me, Drink Me also gets a callback in the form of "Blood Honey". But this track isn't directly lifted from that album; it's also sprinkled with a nice dose of synth straight out of "The Last Day On Earth" and with vocal effects that to my mind reflect the more subdued tracks in 'The Androgyne' portion of Holy Wood. Again, far from self-referencing a sngle sonic territory Manson's explored before, it blends everything, and does so satisfactorily.

It's too early to say, but I think this might be my favorite post-triptych album. It's certainly slugging it out with Eat Me, Drink Me for that position. And it has one ace card up its sleeve the previous record doesn't - actual synth. This might be the first album Manson's released since The Golden Age Of Grotesque where the synth is present and a-fucking-counted for. And it makes all the difference.

So far, I'd give it eight and a half middle fingers out of ten.

To revenge the misdeeds of the ruling class, there existed in the middle ages, in Germany, a secret tribunal, called the ďVehmgericht.Ē If a red cross was seen marked on a house, people knew that its owner was doomed by the ďVehm.Ē

All the houses of Europe are now marked with the mysterious red cross.

that was you, eh? I ended up changing my opinions a bit after I had more time to digest it.

Yessir.

Typically I prefer Manson to have a cogent theme, a real approach with each album. I think it usually works best for him; we've seen what happens when he approaches a record as just a collection of songs with The High End Of Low and the results aren't pretty.

However, it seems that a strong producer can work wonders here. Perhaps it isn't all a bad thing if Manson gets away from a core concept, as long as he has someone to keep his excesses in check.

This could easily have turned into another overlong car wreck like THEOL, with incompatible and contradictory styles fighting for lebensraum on the album. Instead it works well because it's so minimalist that each track has room to grow, to establish its own identity.

Last edited by The Overman; 10-06-2017 at 01:31 AM.

To revenge the misdeeds of the ruling class, there existed in the middle ages, in Germany, a secret tribunal, called the ďVehmgericht.Ē If a red cross was seen marked on a house, people knew that its owner was doomed by the ďVehm.Ē

All the houses of Europe are now marked with the mysterious red cross.

The 10th studio album from Marilyn Manson. What can I say? The album is fantastic. This album has it's share of aggression and heaviness but if you want older Manson, just listen to his older stuff and move on- but if you are open to watching an artist grow you will notice pieces from the past swimming in each of the songs, just remember to leave your entitlement at the door. Marilyn Manson albums are capsules in time capturing sorrow, sin, sex, sound and fury, not catering to appease an audience, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Marilyn Manson albums don't ever disappoint me. There are some songs or albums that I like less, but generally I'm always intrigued with each album and have this gravitation towards his in the moment honesty of his delivery. Like him or dislike him, he's genuine.
Heaven Upside Down is basically like the twisted dominatrix sister of the Pale Emperor, the Mephistopheles of Los Angeles. This album takes the
Pale Emperor from Los Angles and brings him to a nightclub from hell.

The album is filled from goodies, from the Ministry meets punk Revelation #12, to the glam/dance hard rock of Tattooed In Reverse to the post punk/Killing Joke esque "WE KNOW WHERE YOU FUCKING LIVE" to the creepy industrial inspired metal flavor of SAY10 to the extremely catchy and sexy, dark electro pop blues-rock of Kill4Me that drives right into Saturnalia which continues to bring out his inner Jim Morrison and mix it up with some of the Cure to get this catchy experimental (8 minute) hypnotic, goth/desert rock style Marilyn Manson song.

Then we have "the fun" track called Jesus Crisis, which I must note that I love the name of this track- it might have some juvenile lines in the chorus but the rest of the song has some good verses and gets better as it progresses into something else. Even with those particular lyrics, the way they're delivered with the music.. works.

Blood Honey is a catchy, sexy, slow electro-industrial ballad, the title track- Heaven Upside Down is a dark and beautiful explosion of everything that Marilyn Manson ever was and will evolve to be. Simply a beautiful song.

The album closer, Threats of Romance is great dramatic classic rock n roll styled, Marilyn Manson flavored ballad to end the party from hell with a bang.

As a friend of mine has said, there are three tiers of Mansonsí works. Top tier Ė the triptych, second Ė GAOG and POAAF, and third tier everything after. Which while good, maybe even great in parts, has never matched up to the previous tiers, but thatís okay. This new work has naturally not transcended third tier, but it is still great.

After the Pale Emperor I said, with some hesitance, that it was his best work since GAOG. Now I say that it has been replaced by this album, and with a bit more confidence.

Youíd be forgiven for having doubts. My first spin of the first single We Know Where You Fucking Live did not impress me. Thankfully itís a definite grower (and the music video, while not great, does somehow make the song better), and is definitely better when listened to as part of the fuller album. That said, it is most assuredly one of the weakest songs of the album.

The first song of the album, Revelation 12, I find the weakest (read: least catchy), but it isnít *bad*. There are no stinkers on the album (although Iím biased Ė however Iíll admit to never liking Heart Shaped Glasses). Once youíve gotten past Revelation 12 youíre immediately in for some treats.

None of the songs released yet Ė WKWYFL, Kill4Me, snippet of Say10 Ė are the best the album can offer, and they shouldnít have been offered up as representative (just like the single Heart Shaped Glasses was the worst song of EMDM and maybe on any of his LPs). I had a feeling from what Iíd heard that the record was going to be closest to Born Villain meets The Pale Emperor. The truth is itís a lot harder to pin down Ė thereís definite elements of these, but also of Holy Wood, EMDM/HEOL, GAOG and possibly even a little Mechanical Animals. Or maybe Iím just trying to work out where these sounds are coming from, rather than someplace new. You see, for a number of songs, this is the most goth-electronica Mansonís ever been. Really, the style is all over the place, and yet still feels cohesive.

In my opinion, after the few spins Iíve given it, there are three main highlights. The second track, Tattooed in Reverse is possibly the biggest surprise of the lot. Iím not sure I can define it. Itís weird, sparse and filthy industrial rock put to sort-of modern pop vocal hooks (and I mean actual mainstream pop of today, the sort that confuses me). And yet itís also odder than that sounds Ė not something that sounds like itíd fit on the radio. Itís as peculiar as it is confusingly-catchy. I instantly loved it but I can see that some really wonít.

Another highlight is Jesus Crisis. For much of the album the verses, prechoruses and bridges are better than the choruses Ė this has been true of him for the majority of songs on the last few albums. And another complaint Iíve had for last couple of albums is Manson shying away from rhyming even more than normal. Thereís a REASON people rhyme on songs, Mazza.

Thankfully on this song the opposite is true. The chorus is the catchiest thing Manson has done in AGES, maybe even since GAOG, and thatís probably because it rhymes. Itíd be perfect in a rock club and I hope it comes to them rather than them still playing his hits from over a decade ago.

The song, however does have a bridge that, while good, just seems to come out of nowhere. Itís the songís namesake, and yet it doesnít fit with the rest of the song, especially not lyrically. The rest of the song has nothing to do with ĎJESUS CRI$I$í. Thereís also this Ďah-ah-ahí bit that comes after the chorus that lets the song down and Iíd rather it wasnít there. Still, the chorus is irresistible enough to make up for it. Itís full of the kind of dumb bravado and swagger that has been missing from Mansonís work since GAOG.

A third highlight and maybe the best song on the album is Saturnalia. So Ė did you ever want Manson to be more goth again? Here you are. This song sounds like somebody asked Manson to make a song thatíd play well on a goth night. And then some. Itís the most industrial, electronica, and processed song on the album, and all the better for it. If thereís a flaw at all to be found itís that it doesnít sound completely like Manson Ė itís SO club-goth-band-you-canít-remember-the-name-of. Still, itís a great track, dense and atmospheric and interesting as it is danceable (and pleasingly long). I guess it canít be more of a surprise and Ďthis doesnít sound like Mansoní than Mechanical Animals was at the time it came out.

In general, the album is really Tyler Batesís success. It was clear from watching a recent interview with Zane Lowe that Manson knows how much he owes Tyler. This is the most carefully constructed, densest, layered album since Holy Wood. There is so much texture and it always seems like thereís new bits of sound to listen to each time you play it Ė something Iíve sorely missed. This album needs good speakers.

Manson is sporadically a weak link Ė sometimes he sounds almost as bad as he did on Born Villain, whereas other times he sounds great. And honestly, thatís probably when his voice is processed or doing something different, and not so great when itís his raw unfiltered wail heís been doing last couple albums that Iíd rather he stopped. Thankfully thatís less of a problem this album than before.

The album isnít perfect. A number of the choruses donít live up to the strength of the verses, but then thereís a usually a good bridge to look forward to. Some of the songs Ė like Revelation 12, WKWYFL, and Say10, fall a little flat.

But itís the most interestingly instrumentally since GAOG and arguably Holy Wood. The lyrics are better, and less repetitive. Itís got some great catchy moments. Itís got songs like Tattooed in Reverse and Saturnalia that make you realise Manson still can surprise you with direction. And itís got a mixture of filthy and bordering on gorgeous guitar licks (such as on the EMDM/HEOL-but-better closer of Threats of Romance that only lacks for a better chorus).

In short, if you like Manson, get this album. Itís not a masterpiece but it pleasingly has surpassed my expectations, and it is one more step up for him since his fall.